Akademe Foundation is a 501(c)(3), see confirmation letter (second page omitted only has IRS agent's signature) for EIN 47-4436560 approved February 2016. Its registered office is at the location of the avian sanctuary project. See the IRS online database.

Sanctuary Intake Procedures

Objectives

Akademe's animal sanctuary projects shall provide a safe high quality lifetime in a loving home. Akademe does not purchase, sell, or adopt out animals. Unless there are extraordinary reasons in the best interests of the animal, Akademe is a forever home. The current sanctuary is in Casa Grande, Arizona.

First and most important to understanding our animal sanctuary project is that Akademe is a Zen sanctuary. This makes our sanctuary designs and relationships with sanctuary animals very different from the ordinary impersonal sanctuary model. We don't just build a habitat, clean it, feed, water, leave residents arguing over spaces and forming prison gangs, and take head counts.

Intake Procedure

Before doing anything else, call the sanctuary (520-424-6043) to confirm there is space available for the kind of animal being surrendered. You should also visit us. Generally we only take in parrots, but may take in other birds if they can fit into the environments we have available. No predators (hawks, owls, eagles, etc.).

If space is available, we will need a statement from the animal's veterinarian confirming its general health conditions and affirming it does not have communicable diseases.

When surrendering an animal, please bring all of its personal effects. We can always build a new cage, but we prefer each animal comes with its cage because that is a familiar place to it. It is bad enough the animal is losing its familiar environment and people. We want to minimize its losses and give it the best opportunity to integrate with the least stress.

A note on cages: we only close cage doors in extreme cases of medical need. Otherwise they are affixed open at all times. Any opportunities to nest with intent to lay and hatch eggs will be changed as needed.

Animal Bill of Rights

Every animal shall

Have a safe personal space protected from extreme weather conditions

Have personal effects in its personal space, and have those effects replaced when unusably broken, or rotated with more interesting toys when interest is lost

Keep as much of its familiar effects as came with it as possible to reduce the trauma of a new environment

Not be caged any more than is absolutely necessary for medical reasons

Be provided a safe and enriching open-air habitat that includes community toys, or an indoor habitat that is enriching

(Social animals) Get personal attention every day to insure psychological well-being

Be provided medical attention as needed, and accommodations made to assure a high quality of life even when handicapped and in old age

Enjoy a level of sanitation that prevents medical issues, but not so much as to violate the animal's normal territorial behaviors

Have opportunity to socialize or not as fits the species

Have suitable food, water, bathing opportunities, and treats daily

Be enabled to live out its natural life as compassionately as possible

Have a merciful death only when it will clearly not thrive and is suffering to the extent that a merciful death would be warranted even for a human

Not separate families or couples. Reasons to isolate from family and/or mate would be communicable disease or consistent aggression of an individual toward its family/mate that affects their health and welfare

Be directed to the most suitable environment best fitting its needs (e.g. animals we cannot take we will provide what referrals and assistance we can)

Restrictions

We do not have accommodations suitable for overly territorial individuals who need a more isolated environment, wild parrots, infectious or aggressive individuals, or predators.

Unless in coordination with another agency as needed to preserve endangered species, reproduction shall not be allowed.

No animal will be bought, sold, or adopted out, though a special case animal may be transferred to a similar facility better suited to fit its needs.

There shall be no more than thirty individual animals who require personal attention per full-time caretaker.

There shall be no more animals in a habitat than the habitat can reasonably accommodate.

No animal with existing medical needs shall be admitted without being able to provide for those needs.

No person surrendering an animal shall be required to pay a fee, make donations, etc., but such would be deeply appreciated.